Production of zinc and the like.



A. B. PESGATORE. PRODUCTION OF ZINC AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911.-

ll i'lizemer).

Patented Apr. 1, 1913. I

ANTOINE BDNAVENTURE PESCATORE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRODUCTION OF ZINC AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '1, 1913.

Application filed November 20, 1911. Serial li 661,255.

Be it known that I. AN'roixn LUNAVEN- 'rrnn lnsorronn, a subject of the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, and residing at 24 Upper Hamiltcn Terrace, London. England have invented certain new and useful lmprovcments in and Relating to the Production of Zinc and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

'.l,his-invention refers to the production of zinc and thelike in high or like blast furnaces which method ofproduction undoubtedly otters essentially economical advantages as compared with the methods most e cnerally employed hitherto, according to which the zinc oxid mixed with carbon is reduced in closed receptacles by heating from outside or by means of electric heatinm The numerous attempts already made to obtain zinc in blast furnaces have not, however; up to the present given the desired results. inasmuch as on the one hand the consumption of carbon was excessively hlg'h and 'lturthcrmore some portions of the furnace and of the exhaust pipes got choked by deposits of zinc oxid thereby occasioning constant. interruptions in the work and necessitating frequent repairs. Now the applicant has discovered that the causeof these disadvantages consists in the partial oxidation of the zinc in gaseous condition by the carbonic acid gas contained in the hotgases. In order to obtain the necessary high temperature for the reduction of the zinc ores, the charge consisting of a mixture of ore and carbon must be supplied with a strong current of air, so that it is impossible to prevent the formation of a certainvquantity of carbonic acid besides the main portion of carbon nio-noxid which is absolutely passive with respect to the Zinc vapors, whereas the carbonic acid acts on the zinc vapor to form carbon inonoxid and zinc oxitl. The latter must again be reduced to zinc and consequently a fur- ,ther supply of carbon must be consumed thus considerably increasing the constant,

tion of carbon for the production of a definite quantity of zinc. Eurtherniore the newly formed zinc oxid is hot deposited in the reduction zone of the furnace but at other spots of-thesame and thus occasions the choking-up referred to' The present invention is for the purpose of avoiding both these disadvantages and consists in thatin a blast furnace or other like apparatus the air is only supplied in such slow current.to the charge consisting of oxid zinc ores and carbon, that the oxygen of the air on reaching the reduction zone has been completelv converted intocarbon monoxid. N ow inasmuch as owing to the slow combustion of the carbon, the necessary high temperature for the reduction of the zinc cannot be attained so means'are provided in the blast furnace to bring; thetemperature of the reduction zone up to the necessary degree by electric heating. The Zinc vapor thus produced has no opportunity of being re-oxidized and consequently there no stopping up of the pipes by deposits of zinc. Furthermore only relatively small quantities of electric energy are necessary for supplying the additional heating and on the other hand carbon is ccononiized, because any re-oxidation of the zinc vapor formed is a voided and thus regarded as a whole the present process is more economical than those hitherto employed.

In the accompanying drawings a blast furnace suitable for carrying out the present process is shown as example, in which Figure l is a vertical section through the furnace and the condensing chamber. 2 is a secti' n along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The furnace differs from those generally employed essentially by the arrangement of the electrodes and g (the electrodes illustrated being provided with facing material j) in the reduction zone as well as by the pipe is passing from the reduction zone to the condensing chamber and by the pipe passing from the top of the furnace and provided with an adjustable valve 3 passing out into the gas exhaus pipe from the condensing chamber. Between both these inlet spots and the condensing chamber an ad justable valve r is arranged. The charge is introduced at (Z. The blast air is introduced in cold or warm condition by the nozzles c and as above mentioned is supplied in such quantities that the oxygen of the reduction zone y is completely converted into carbon metals besides zinc coxl'toined in one o tiom zone by on auxi F? v they can be drawn ofi, in the ueual M er Z. The zinc-free gases escape from "she latter into the open air through the pipe 3)., A. portion the combustion gases, which as abovemen'ioned are completely free fr m oxygen andioarbonic acid, pass also through the upper portion of the furpace, W 11: serves for heating the charge. Any

vapor containecl 1n it, is conoenseo, and.

subsequently when the oorrespofiding tion oi the charge has descendec]. into duebion zone, is conflueted o "the oonoiensing chamber together with the zinc freshiy formed from zinc oxid, so that there is 10 loss of zinc. The valves 8 and a 'se'rve suitabiy-gegulating the @istributioiz of boththe ouirrems of gas referred to. e other such as fiead, which are redoced. by carom? are not volatilizecinzaflets the ezis iiog. oozachtmno ot tem oerature, cofieet m blew lower poet-ion of the furngweei F; from wh' fieving'now described my inven claim "as new and {zest-e to secure Patent is for the pro luetion of sine shaft 01: like blast fumeees .311 movfling e ihnited sulfiply of air for the furnace such that eomp131; slow current of air suificiene to re dues, v. .e ore but to prevent oxygero reeohmg;

3. A. m comprising a sh n -I" introiuetion of e-eharree means engage means sitfleie'et about {no m1odie m. shaft daspo eeci'ffow hea smg charge one? means for peymitoin 1 1 um 1, 20395: G SQ reieese i 159E131 SL118, S2153;

1y oithe middle/of said shaft for to be released there blimg Zinc v yapors asset for 1 ombii'lawvion a. shaft, a vapor exit @2011; half way. up the shaft, a se inproximity to said exit upper efrengeet the top of the ffilfih, v In oombmetion 5119.112 furnace, a con g.. 1' am member, oonam; leach 510m 4118 chamber further conduit leading from (she condensmg ooamloez" to the top of :lhe

211161 to oimosphere; as set forth. 7. In eomoma-tlon a shafi: furnace, a conaien ah-ember, aeonduit leedigg from the er with means for heating the same condo; leading fromthe conto me atmosphere; as forth.

" combmetlon shaft, wvagi or'em';

- 1ers siiroate near the hearth together- 21 e 0.; said farnece to said e0nd(-nclsilngv dumber e he top of the fume.%

dole of said furnace to said condensiog SQLZES hz'zdegoenden if edgusmble electrodes- "umity mid exit and twyers situate hearih tog with a hopper ar- 9. En combination-e shaft, :2, series of else- Loes dispose. about the boshes thereof, will auxiliary eieotrocles ofcombustible mm Wyei's situate near the hearth and a middle the seiol ."Eurmcefio the sail can emmg chamoer and mrtner conciult lead A N was said movie for regulating file proportlon of ieevmg fioommeoe the middle 2.210; the top; as set forth. in testimony whereof T have signed my the presenceof name to miss specificmion two subscribing gee? the top of the shaft; as set forth.

r a u 10.. In oombinatioo a shaft furnace, aconcomma; chamber, oonflmt ieedmg fmm the from the top thefm'moe and EfijliSfl" 

